Puppies Galore

Well, I certainly haven’t been here much — what writing I’ve had time for has all been on Dawne Thoughts! And that hasn’t been much — too busy moving & taking care of newborn Labrador pups.

It seems impossible with all the dogs I’ve had as companions through almost every year of my life, but it’s the first time I’ve been present at, & actively involved in, the birth of new life — other than my own three sons. It was a glorious event — but just as nerve-wracking & worrisome as when I had my own children.

I felt the responsibility of these little babes & worried when the tiniest one kept gasping for air. It was so much like my youngest son’s birth — born 5 wks premature & weighing in at under 5 lbs. He had to be placed immediately into an incubator & I couldn’t hold him until he was one week old! It was a very scary experience & so much like when little ‘Rocky’ [as we dubbed her because of it’s rocky start — we didn’t know it’s gender at the time!] came out so much smaller & weaker than the 8 other puppies.

We tried our best [after two torturous nights of us feeding it glycerine while holding it within our sweaters under a heat lamp] — still Rocky died, but my son is strong & the tallest of his brothers now. Could medical science have helped the little pup like it did the little human? Maybe.

But we let nature [& Mom] take it’s course — she took it away the third morning & buried it in the rabbit hole. It died later — alone. I realized how lucky we are — with our modern conveniences & educated scientists. How lucky I am to have three healthy sons.